Ohtani is predicted to win the National League MVP Award, but he just keeps racking up wins in the meantime.
On Thursday night, Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani was named the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter of the Year. It’s the fourth consecutive win for Ohtani in that department and serves as a likely precursor to him winning his third MVP Award.
The MVP Awards will be announced next week. With the win on Thursday night, Ohtani joined former Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz in baseball history.
Per MLB.com:
Ohtani is the second player ever to win the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award in four consecutive years, joining Hall of Famer David Ortiz, who won five consecutive times from 2003-2007.
Ohtani put together a masterful year for the World Champion Dodgers, hitting .310 with 54 homers and 130 RBI. He became the first player in history to go 50/50 in a season, also registering 59 stolen bases. He was relegated to DH-only duties because he couldn’t pitch all season. He spent the year recovering from Tommy John surgery and will hopefully be back on the mound in 2025.
However, there are questions about his timeline for returning to the mound. Ohtani just underwent surgery for a labrum that he tore during the World Series. The surgery was on his non-throwing arm, but could certainly impact his ability to keep up with his offseason regimen.
The Dodgers have said he’ll be ready to swing by the time spring training rolls around in February.
If and when Ohtani wins the MVP Award, he’ll join Frank Robinson as the only players in history to win the MVP Award in both leagues.
